The Meeting of Allies
by Valerie Blakewell
Summary: Aberforth is conflicted about his brother's death, and grief clutches at him, but when a house elf is sent to help him his spirits rise despite his efforts.


The glass shattered against the wall when Aberforth threw it. He immediately regretted the action, sinking into the armchair beneath him and giving Ariana an apologetic look where she had jumped in her portrait.  
>"Sorry, sis. Sorry," he said gruffly. He then buried his face in his hands and groaned, refusing to let the tears prickling at the edges of his eyes fall. Men didn't cry. Especially men who ran dinghy bars and were brothers of famous wizards.<br>He was gone. His brother, his last living relative, was gone. The idiot had died at the hands of a trusted friend, something Aberforth would have laughed bitterly at if he didn't know the action would turn hysterical. Aberforth had always resented his brothers omniscience, but this time he found himself wishing it hadn't slipped in the past few years.  
>The selfishness! Albus hadn't even tried to fix things before dying! The thought was stupid- how could Albus know he would die?- but Aberforth couldn't prevent it, no matter how he tried.<br>When Aberforth glanced back up, Ariana had disappeared from her portrait. It worried Aberforth that she would leave, but he knew he had upset her, so he didn't attempt to call her back.  
>He dragged himself up and snatched up the dustbin, stomping over the clean the glass up. As he swept it up violently, he glared at the ground, the wall, the empty portrait, trying to find something to blame everything on. None of it would work; the only blame lay on the dead and himself.<br>A loud crack resounded through the room, and Aberforth let his eyes settle on the wild house elf who had just apparated uninvited into his home. The elf had layers and layers of socks covering his feet, old rolled up trousers, a vest that showed his skinny chest, and a huge tower of hats longer than his body.  
>"What are you doing here, elf?" Aberforth asked, a slight growl still audible.<br>"Dobby has been sent by Ariana!" The elf announced loudly, grinning and tripping over to stand in front of Aberforth. "Ariana said her brother was unhappy, and Dobby should help him!"  
>"How are you supposed to help me?" Aberforth grumbled, glaring at the happy little creature. The brightness annoyed him. "Where did you get all of the clothes?"<br>"Dobby is a free elf! Harry Potter freed Dobby, and Dobby is ever so grateful! Ariana said Dobby should help Aberforth, but she did not say how!"  
>"Then leave, you can't do anything and I have things to do." Aberforth turned away, guilt at his gruffness only slightly tugging at his heart. He had work to do. The order would be in shambles, and he needed to help them arrange the funeral and find a new structure.<br>"Dobby shall not leave. Dobby shall help Aberforth with his work, because Dobby likes Aberforth, and Ariana asked him to! What 'things' does Aberforth need help with?"  
>Aberforth growled as Dobby followed him down to his closed bar, rambling all the way. "You live in the castle, right?"<br>"Oh, yes. Dobby helps in the kitchens and gets pay and time off! It is wonderful!"  
>"And did my brother set this up for you?" Aberforth wanted to kill himself. At that point, he knew he was doing it just to hurt himself.<br>Dobby's face fell, and he looked up at Aberforth with watery eyes. "He gave Dobby a home, and let him stay a free elf. Sir, your brother was an amazing man. Almost as amazing as Harry Potter himself."  
>Aberforth finally snorted, then burst out laughing, at that. It was higher than normal, and definitely on the hysterical side. Dobby's huge eyes went wide, and he stared at Aberforth in shock.<br>"Sir? Are you... okay?" He asked. "Dobby is sorry for bringing it up."  
>"Oh, blast it." Aberforth replied, calming down and patting the elf on the head roughly. "Come on. You can help me."<br>Dobby lit up again as he followed Aberforth out of the bar. "Oh, thank you, sir, Dobby doesn't know what he would do if he disappointed Ariana!"  
>Aberforth smirked. Maybe it would be nice if the elf hung around for a while. <p>


End file.
